The government shutdown, now a multiday affair, continues.
The United States government partially shut down Oct. 1 due to a budget impasse when Congress failed to agree on appropriations for the new fiscal year. The government will remain closed until both parties can agree on federal funding allocations and President Donald Trump signs an appropriation bill into law.
Thousands of government employees are impacted by the partial shutdown in Tennessee and beyond. Many employees have been furloughed amid the funding gap, with some even facing termination after the Trump administration threatened mass layoffs.
Here’s what to know about furloughs, the threat of layoffs and federal employees in Tennessee.
What does a furlough mean in government?
During a government shutdown, “nonessential” federal agencies, like national parks, will close or cut staffing. Federal workers within those departments get furloughed.
A furlough is a “temporary nonduty, nonpay status” that is implemented when there is a lack of appropriated funds, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidelines. Furloughed employees are barred from doing any work during a shutdown.
Federal workers who are deemed “essential,” like air traffic controllers and active-duty military personnel, work without pay during the shutdown.
Furloughed employees and “essential” federal workers alike do get back paid after the shutdown ends, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Who does and doesn’t get paid in a government shutdown?
No one gets paid during a government shutdown. However, furloughed employees and “essential” workers are entitled to retroactive pay.
“If the retroactive pay cannot be provided on the normal pay date for the given pay period, it must be provided at the earliest date possible after the lapse ends,” U.S. Office of Personnel Management said in its shutdown guidelines.
Government contractors are not guaranteed back pay.
Furloughs vs. layoffs
Furloughs are temporary, but layoffs would be permanent.
Trump has proposed that there be permanent layoffs during this federal funding lapse. The president told reporters Sept. 30 he may lay off “vast numbers” of federal workers and eliminate programs, according to USA TODAY.
On Oct. 2, Trump took to Truth Social to reinforce this possibility, saying that he would meet with the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, to “determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent,” the post said.
This rhetoric comes after Vought told House Republicans in a private call on Oct. 1 that mass layoffs of federal workers will begin in “a day or two” if the government shutdown continues, according to a lawmaker on the call and USA TODAY reporting.
How many federal employees are in Tennessee?
There were 32,574 federal employees in Tennessee in 2024, according to a congressional report. There are more than 2 million government workers across the country.
Are airports affected by government shutdowns?
You’ll still be able to travel during a government shutdown, but you should expect delays.
The Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection are essential services.
“Approximately 61,000 of the agency’s 64,000 employees are considered excepted or exempt and TSA will continue operations to keep the travelling (sic) public safe. The remaining employees will be temporarily furloughed,” the agency said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Are national parks open during a government shutdown?
National parks will remain partially open during the shutdown. Any buildings or areas that require staffing may be closed.
In East Tennessee, facilities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be closed, including Cades Cove, though some roads and trails will remain open. Many of the park’s buildings will close and access to popular sites might be restricted.
Open-air roads and trails will remain open, but services such as trash pickup and restroom cleaning cannot be ensured during the entirety of a shutdown.
Contributing: Tyler Whetstone, USA TODAY
Allison Kiehl covers trending and breaking news from Knoxville for the Tennessee Connect Team. Email: allison.kiehl@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Government shutdown: What is a furlough? Furloughs vs. layoffs